Pests remain one of the most persistent and dynamic challenges in modern agriculture, with profound implications for crop yield, quality, and overall farm economics. Insect Pests of Vegetables, Spices, and Ornamentals – Identification and Management is a comprehensive and practical guide that delves into the diverse pest species affecting these high-value horticultural crops. The book addresses their biology, identification, behavior, and effective management strategies to ensure sustainable crop production.

Vegetables, known for their nutritional importance and economic value, are particularly vulnerable to insect attacks due to their short growing seasons and intensive cultivation. Likewise, spices—integral to culinary, medicinal, and industrial applications—suffer from reduced productivity due to persistent pest infestations. Ornamentals, a growing sector in global horticultural trade, also face significant yield and aesthetic losses from pests and mites.

With detailed chapters covering common and emerging pest species, the book offers:

• Scientific identification and lifecycle details of key pests and mites

• Insight into pest-host interactions and crop damage symptoms

• Eco-friendly and integrated pest management (IPM) solutions

• Real-world applicability for both field and protected cultivation systems

Intended for students, researchers, extension personnel, farmers, and horticulture professionals, the book balances ecological understanding with hands-on guidance. It emphasizes the importance of sustainable and environmentally conscious pest control methods that align with long-term agricultural resilience.

In light of the rising export potential and domestic importance of vegetables, spices, and ornamentals, this book provides timely and essential knowledge to support pest-resilient farming systems. It stands as an indispensable reference for anyone committed to safeguarding plant health and improving productivity

Deepthy completed graduation, post-graduation, and Ph.D, from Kerala Agricultural University. She has published 20 peer-reviewed research articles, 11 symposium proceedings, 4 book chapters, and 8 popular articles. She has successfully completed 8 external-aided projects as Principal Investigator (PI) and 3 as Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI). She has guided 6 postgraduate students and 1 Ph.D. scholar to the successful completion of their research work. At present, she is nurturing the academic growth of 5 postgraduate and 2 Ph.D. students.

Pradeepkumar.T took PhD in Horticulture from IARI, New Delhi and undergone overseas training at University of Wisconsin, USA. He is  holding the charge of Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochin, Kerala and working as Professor and Head, Department of Vegetable Science, Kerala Agricultural University.Dr Pradeepkumar.T has experience of more than 30 years in horticultural research, teaching and extension as state and national level expert. He has developed 8 hybrids of different crops like water melon (Seedless types), salad cucumber (Parthenocarpic type), bitter gourd and ridge gourd. He was the editor of Journal of Tropical Agriculture for six years and reviewer of springer and elseiver publications. He is the recipient of Krishi vijnan award for the best agricultural scientist instituted by Govt. of Kerala and Harbhajan Singh Award by ISVS. He has published 92 research papers, 12 books, 18 book chapters and 45 popular article . He is fellow of , Indian Society of Vegetable Science (ISVS), Indian Academy of Horticultural Science (IAHS) and Indian Society for Spices (ISS).

Pest of Vegetables

1. Amaranthus, 2. Cucurbits, 3. Cowpea, 4. Crucifers, 5. Okra,6. Onion

Pest of Solanaceous vegetables

7. Brinjal, 8. Chilly, 9. Tomato, 10. Potato

Pest of Spices

11. Blackpepper, 12. Cardamom, 13. Cinnamon, 14. Ginger and Turmeric

Pest of Ornamentals

15. Jasmine, 16. Rose

Index